PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Seven people connected to a now-closed Providence community health worker agency have been indicted by a statewide grand jury, accused of draining roughly $2 million from the state’s Medicaid program, Attorney General Peter Neronha announced Thursday.
The 51-count indictment centers on U’Nique Diversity Innovations, which operated on Branch Avenue. The Attorney General’s Office, which investigated and is prosecuting the case, says the agency billed for work that never happened or was inflated, padded its records to back up those bills, and paid kickbacks to sign up Medicaid patients.
Shanee Vega, the owner, faces 48 of the counts, including racketeering, Medicaid fraud and taking money under false pretenses. Her daughter, Elaisha Vega Ogiba, is charged along with Larry Fisher, Yanelis Brown, Michael Pete, Jerry Nicoleau and Nitasia Burgess. Charges differ from person to person and also include conspiracy, identity theft and public assistance fraud.
Prosecutors allege Vega sent in false claims from November 2024 through June 2025, including bills for relatives and for patients who were behind bars at the time. They also say she spent Medicaid money on herself, covering cosmetic dental work, beauty treatments and restaurant meals.
The state had approved the business as a Medicaid community health worker practice in November 2024. These workers help Medicaid patients find their way through the health care system, but none of the seven defendants held community health worker certification during the period in question, the indictment alleges. Investigators raided the Branch Avenue office in July 2025. All seven are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Section: More Providence RI crime news
Filed under: Providence RI Crime News
